Delhi-Gurgaon eway operator told to repair streetlights

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued a notice to the Delhi-Gurgaon Super Connectivity Ltd (DGSCL) regarding its failure to maintain streetlights on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway.

The notice, issued on Wednesday, directed the concessionaire firm to repair the lights within seven days, failing which it would be dragged to the Court of Highway Administration.

"The concessionaire has neglected nearly all issues related to the maintenance of the expressway. We need to get the 500-odd dysfunctional streetlights repaired as soon as possible for the safety of the commuters, especially women. If the DGSCL does not repair them, we will take punitive action under the National Highways Act as per which the NHAI is responsible for the safety of commuters," said a highly placed NHAI official.

Meanwhile, a DGSCL spokesperson claimed, "We have commenced the repair work of streetlights along the expressway as part of our regular maintenance operations."

Sources said that the Court of Highway Administration, Gurgaon, has been mulling to initiate contempt proceedings against DGSCL in a separate case pertaining to the repair of service roads from Rajiv Chowk to Kherki Dhaula toll plaza.

Sources further said that a couple of days ago, the DGSCL had written a letter to the NHAI general manager (headquarter) (GMHQ) saying that it has started repair work on the stretch in "public interest".

Interestingly, highway administrator Ashok Kumar Sharma, in a punitive measure against DGSCL for having failed to maintain service roads, had ruled in July that the NHAI would take care of the repairs and charge the concessionaire, along with 15% surcharge.

As the contract for the said stretch of service roads was bagged by the Faridabad-based Atlas Constructions in an open bidding, DGSCL also started claiming that it would work the same stretch.

Irked at this reticence, the NHAI (Gurgaon) recently asked the independent consultant as to how he allowed the concessionaire to work the stretch despite Atlas bagging the contract, sources added.